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ADMISSION PROCESS AND REQUIREMENTS

1. Application and Submission Requirements: Thank you for your interest in our doctoral program. To apply, applicants need to create an online account on a website administered by UTEP's Graduate School. Applicants will use the website to access, fill out, upload, and update their applications. The deadline to submit your completed application in early February of 2025.

2. Application to : Complete the online application form and submit the application fee of $45 (for US citizens or permanent residents) or $80 (international students) along with other required documents to the Graduate School. Please review the checklist below and the Graduate School website for further information.

3. Recommendation Letters (English or Spanish):  Submit three recommendation letters that may be to the . Address recommendations to Dr. Maria T. de la Piedra, Doctoral Program Director. Individuals who can comment on the applicants’ potential to succeed in a doctoral program should be chosen to provide recommendations

If submitting recommendation letters, the letters must address the applicant's communication, academia, collaborative study skills, as well as potential to successfully complete a doctoral program. These recommendation letters (PDF files) may be uploaded by applicants to , emailed directly by references to the Graduate School (gradschooladmissions@utep.edu), or mailed directly by references to the Graduate School (UTEP – Graduate School, Israel Arreola, Mike Loya Academic Services Building, Room 223, 601 W. Schuster Ave. El Paso, Texas 79968).

4. Official and Unofficial Transcripts: Please submit to UTEP’s Graduate School your bachelor’s and master’s official transcripts from each college or university you have attended. Transcripts can be submitted electronically or physically by either the applicant or his/her college or university. Some universities provide the option for other universities to access and download an applicant’s transcripts from a website. UTEP’s Graduate School will retrieve and include transcripts for alumni who are applying. The transcripts must indicate the degree that has been awarded. The Graduate School can be contacted at (915) 747-5491 or 1-877-747-5491 and by email at gradschooladmissions@utep.edu. 

5. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or Duolingo English Test (DET): An international applicants’ official TOEFL / IELTS / DET test scores must be sent to and received by the Graduate School (school code is 6829) prior to the application deadline. 

• Minimum TOEFL Paper Based score: 550
• Minimum TOEFL Internet Based score: 79
• Minimum IELTS score: 6.5
• Minimum Duolingo score: 105

An English proficiency test is not required if international applicants received a bachelor's or master's degree from an accredited English-speaking country. (List of Exempt Countries). TOEFL / IELTS / DET scores older than two years are expired and will not be accepted. However, scores previously filed with UTEP’s Graduate School before the two-year expiration may be used for one more year if the application was deferred. Applicants with expired test scores as defined above or who have never taken it before must then take one of these English proficiency tests.

In general, it takes about three-to-four weeks for UTEP to receive the official scores depending on whether scores were mailed or sent electronically. The test should be taken at least a month before the deadline to avoid delays. The TOEFL test and DET are offered at UTEP's Student Assessment and Testing Office, 915-747-5009, testing@utep.edu, and academics.utep.edu/testing. Official test scores are provided on the same day. The TOEFL test is also offered by the Thompson Prometric Testing Center, 8550 Boeing Drive, Suite 200, 915-881-8359, . Another testing center for the TOEFL test is located in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Practice exams and tutorials for the TOEFL are available at . Applicants can learn and find out more about the IELTS at . Applicants can learn more about the DET at

6. Curriculum Vitae or Resume (English or Spanish): A resume outlining education, work history, experiences, skills, and training must be submitted to the .

7. Statement of Purpose (English or Spanish): A statement of purpose describing career goals, research interests, and how this specific program will benefit the applicant’s professional development must be submitted (1,000 to 1,500 words).

8. Evidence of Your Writing Abilities (English or Spanish): Two writing samples (minimum: 1000 words each) or a master’s thesis, where the applicant is the sole author, demonstrating the applicant’s academic writing ability must be submitted.

9. Education and Experience: Applicants must have completed a master’s degree and a minimum of three (3) years’ teaching experience or equivalent before entering the program. Applicants will need to include a summary of their teaching experience in the and may contact the doctoral program to find out what experiences may count as an equivalent.

10. Interview: Selected applicants will be invited to an interview (in person or online, in English or Spanish) with members of the doctoral committee prior to the determination of final admission status. The purpose of the interview is to establish compatibility between the applicant’s goals and the interests and goals of the doctoral program. International and out-of-town applicants may be interviewed virtually. Interviews will be held in March. Applicants should plan accordingly and will be contacted in advance to schedule a time.

11. Letter of Admission to the Doctoral Program: The Graduate School will inform applicants in the week following interviews whether or not they have been admitted.

12. Program Advisement: The Doctoral Program Committee is responsible for making key decisions in regards to the doctoral program and related issues. Among the issues to be decided by the Doctoral Program Committee are requests, course development, and student and faculty support.

13. Financial Aid Eligibility and Credit Hour Requirements: Students who use financial aid must maintain their eligibility by enrolling for a minimum of nine credit hours in the fall and spring semesters but only need six credit hours during the summer.

For more information about tuition, eligibility, scholarships, and financial aid, contact the Financial Aid office at  915-747-5204 or financial@utep.edu and http://academics.utep.edu/finaid. For information about deadlines and available payment options, contact Student Business Services at 915-747-5116 or sbs@utep.edu and . For information about available scholarships, fellowships, and other sources, contact the Office of Scholarships at 915-747-5478 or scholar@utep.edu and .

The Programa de Asistencia Estudiantil (PASE) provides in-state tuition to Mexican citizens that qualify. For more information, contact 915-747-5664 or oip@utep.edu and visit .

14. Bacterial Meningitis Vaccination: Incoming undergraduate and graduate students must obtain information about bacterial meningitis and sign an acknowledgment form with the Records Office in UTEP’s Mike Loya Academic Services Building. New students older than age 30 and continuing students that graduated the previous semester from UTEP are exempt from this requirement.

For more information about this requirement and where to submit documentation, click here and please visit the Graduate School (contact information below) or the Registrar's Office at 915-747-5544. Both offices are in UTEP’s Mike Loya Academic Services Building.

15. Records Retention and Management: As per Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é policy, all materials submitted and reviewed as part of the application process become the property of the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é and will be retained by the department for a year.

Application Requirement Checklist

1. Graduate School application
2. Application fee $45 for citizens/residents or $80 for international applicants
3. Master's degree and official transcripts
4. Official TOEFL or IELTS scores (for international applicants)
5. Three scholarly recommendations
6. Two writing samples or copy of M.A. thesis
7. Statement of purpose
8. Curriculum vitae or resume
9. Three years teaching experience or equivalent